American expressionism: art and social change Essay

Art is a dynamic concept that has continued to evolve. Since its inception, art has evolved through various movements representing diverse themes and philosophies. Artists aligned to specific art movements have contributed in advancing their philosophies in the specific periods represented. From the 18th to the 21st century, art movements have impacted greatly on the society. The Romanticism Movement               Ã‚  The Romanticism movement originated towards the end of the 18th century in Europe. The movement advocated for the bold use of color to bring out the authentic emotional feel of an aesthetic experience. According to Dempsey (2002), the validation of intense emotional experience in visual arts stressed on emotions likes anxiety and horror. The liberal expression of an artist was an imperative aspect in the Romantic era; an artist’s feelings and expressions formed the basis of inspiration towards the production of art work (Scaglia, 2011). Creativity formed the basis of innovation upon which the Romanticism movement thrived. Nationalism and nature were central themes advanced by Romantic artists (Scaglia, 2011). The Romanticism movement placed an immense interest in nature. The reason behind the love for nature in artistic work during the movement was the philosophical tenet that a connection with nature was emotionally and ethically healthy. Moreover, artists based their works on a nationalism platform by fostering national development. The graphic design of the period drew strong influence from the political circles. The aristocratic political and social norms of the period triggered the rise of Romanticism. Romantic artists revolted against aristocracy sought to instill liberal tendencies through their expressions. On an economic ground, the industrial revolution had an influence on the movement. The movement was opposed to the corrupt nature that the society was adopting. The culture of liberalism and free expression contributed in the development of the movement. Thomas Jones’, The Bard (1774) Egide Charles (1834) The Belgian Revolution The visual arts explore the connection between Romanticism and nationalism. The paintings illustrate the artists’ use of nature as well as showing society’s need for nationalism respectively. Synchromism               Ã‚  The movement started in 1912 under the innovative works of Stanton Mc-Donald-Wright and Morgan Russell (Scaglia, 2011). The artists are acknowledged as among the pioneer abstract painters in the US. Wright and Russell used the â€Å"syncromy† style in their abstract paintings. The style was based on the artistic innovation, that sound and color have a connection. The idea behind Synchromism posited that colors in art can have the similar harmonious character as notes in music. The innovation behind the movement was that a painting can have the same complexity as music, if colors are arranged in scales. Contrary to other forms, Synchromism did not use lines, but only color and shape in artistic expressions. Having begun before the First World War, the movement posited that realism was no longer significant in visual art; there was need for a meaningful expression of art in the modern world (Scaglia, 2011). The culture of realism in the modern art world was fading; hence, the rise of the movement was attributed to the philosophy that innovation, and an artist’s feelings, as opposed to realism, was more dominant. Stanton MacDonald-Wright, Airplane Synchromy in Yellow-Orange (1920) Morgan Russell, Cosmic Synchromy (1913-14) The paintings by Wright and Russell display the use of color to come up with abstract paintings. The shapes illustrate the influence of imaginative artistic expression to come up ideas that are not in the realist physical nature. The style of the movement affects the graphic design of today by emphasizing on the use of color, particularly in the amount of hue used in painting. The intensity of color in contemporary art is an important factor to consider. Classical Realism               Ã‚  The movement became prominent towards the end of the 20th century. Designers in the movement regarded skill and beauty as imperative factors in their paintings (Scaglia, 2011). The movement’s style is edged on the visible world; this brings out its realism nature. Through an artist’s observation, he is in a position to bring out beauty and completeness (Scaglia, 2011). In Classical Realism, an artist concentrates on drawing and painting, and avoids mechanical aids. Classical Realism artists employ the artistic eye to explore harmony and skill in their paintings. A major cultural tenet behind the growth of Classical Realism is the belief that most artistic movements of the 20th century disregard the contribution of traditional art; hence, leading to the degradation of skill (Scaglia, 2011). Therefore, artists in this movement seek to restore the traditional concept of drawing and painting objects seen in the modern world. Jean-Là ©on Gà ©rà ´me. The artistic works illustrate the traditional art of drawing and painting objects from what people see. The emphasis on order, skill and harmony on the visual arts is a reflection of the realistic culture in artistic expressions. The movement influences modern graphic designs in using color to achieve harmony, and the utilization of skill. Expressionism               Ã‚  The movement started in Germany at the turn of the 20th century; Franz Marc and Alvar Cawà ©n were among the pioneer designers of the movement (Dijkstra, 2003). Stylistically, the movement sought to illustrate the world in a subjective perspective. In essence, artists in this movement sought to create meaning from their paintings, which was distant from the physical reality (Dijkstra, 2003). Artists achieve this through distorting the physical reality and evoking subjective emotional experience and mood. The growth of the movement in the early 20th century is attributed to the dehumanizing influence of industrialization. Moreover, expressionists were not in favor of realism; hence, sought to introduce an artistic style that would capitalize solely on the expressions of an artist. Alvar Cawà ©n, (Blind Musician), 1922 Franz Marc, Fighting Forms (1914) The paintings show an emphasis on the expression of emotion and mood. The paintings evoke a subjective meaning from what is intended in the physical world. The contemporary graphic industry draws inspiration from the movement through the use of color, foreground and background features to drive meaning. The Pop art movement               Ã‚  The Pop art movement begun in the 1950s in Britain and the United States; it was a break from the conventional orientations of art. Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns were among the prominent artists of the movement (Spilsbury, 2009). Argued as a reflection of modern art, the pop art movement introduced the use of imagery. The imagery used in the pop art movement derived its inspiration from the popular culture. Consequently, as a reflection of popular culture, pop art expressions are understood from the perspective of the approaches that produce them. The mass culture in the 1950s influenced the growth of the artistic movement; pop artists employed the images of the dominant culture in their graphic designs (Spilsbury, 2009).Technology also played an important role in the growth of the movement particularly in the expansion of abstract expressionism (Spilsbury, 2009). Andy Warhol, Campbell’s Soup I (1968) Jasper Johns, Flag 1954–1955 The artistic works by the above artists shows the reflection of the impact of popular culture in artistic expressions. Andy Warhol shows the influence of pop art in the advertising industry, while Jasper Johns expresses liberty as a popular culture through the representation of the flag. The movement influences contemporary graphic design by expanding the use of advertisement as an important platform of communication. Constructivism               Ã‚  The art movement, which started in 1919, popularized the use of art for social purposes. Experts assert that the movement sought to eliminate autonomy in art (Jones, 2006). Consequently, the growth of the movement is attributed to its participation in the Russian revolution. Constructivists came up with street designs that had social connotations during the revolution. During the early years of the movement, artists used their paintings as a means of communication to the people during the Russian civil war (Jones, 2006). The philosophy behind the movement was the advancement of social reconstruction. Constructivists used bright colors, arithmetic shapes and conspicuious lettering in their paintings in order to evoke emotions from the viewers and trigger deep understanding of the intended message. Vladimir Mayakovsky, An advertising construction (1921) Tatlin’s Tower (1919) The paintings above show the social connotations explored by constructivists. The use of bold colors and geometric shapes shows the intensity of communication developed by the artists. The constructivism movement affects modern graphic design by emphasizing on the use of art for social construction. Sensitizing people for political action through is an example of constructivist’s influence on contemporary art. Conclusion               Ã‚  Certainly, art is a dynamic phenomenon that represents the social, cultural and political expressions of different societies. The use of artistic features to demonstrate the influence of graphic design on a society shows that art is a powerful instrument; its ability to trigger emotional and objective connotations demonstrates its communication authority. References Dempsey, A. (2002). Art in the modern era: a guide to styles, schools & movements 1860 to the present. New York: Harry N. Abrams. Dijkstra, B. (2003). American expressionism: art and social change, 1920-1950. New York: H.N. Abrams, in association with the Columbus Museum of Art. Jones, A. (2006). A companion to contemporary art since 1945. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub..Scaglia, B. (2011). The aesthetic variable: defining the contemporary art movement of the 2000s (classical realism, relational art, street art, stuckism, superflat, and more). United States: Webster’s Digital Services? :. Spilsbury, R. (2009). Pop art. Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library. Source document

Teen Suicides Essay

Every second of the day a person dies and every second of the day a child is born. But did you know that half of the deaths are from suicide. From that half of the suicidal deaths are from teen suicide. Did you know that suicide is the leading cause of death? Or that its one of the top 3 reasons why teenagers are found dead? Every year teens are killed because they suicide. Every day they give up on life and embrace death instead. Just learning this from the news I became interested. Suicide has always interested me because of what I heard and my own personal experience. So when I started to research about this topic I got so many results. Each topic brought up other many sub topics. Each subtopic was like reading an article from an encyclopedia. So after reading I thought of focusing my research on how many teens suicide, why they suicide, what are the signs of suicidal risk, and can you help someone if they are thinking of suicides. How many teenagers suicide every day? Every 40 seconds of everyday around the world a teenager kills themselves by suicide. â€Å"After a year has passed over 1 million teenagers have killed themselves by suicide.† (http://www.thementalhealthblog.com/2013/10/teenage-depression-and-suicide-statistics/) This is important because after a year has passed more than 1 million kids have killed themselves. This shows that for teenagers they rather welcome death than find a reason to live. For every teenager the ratio for boys to girls are different. â€Å"For every one girl that goes through the suicide there are 4 more boys that have already gone through. The ratio for every boy that attempts to suicide there three girls are also attempting suicide too.†(http://www.thementalhealthblog.com/2013/10/teenage-depression-and-suicide-statistics/) This is importantly significant because it shows that out of the million kids that suicides boys go through it more while the girls try  to attempt it more than the boys. â€Å"Every day there are at least 1 out of twelve teenagers that attempt suicide.† (http://www.thementalhealthblog.com/2013/10/teenage-depression-and-suicide-statistics/) This is significant because if every teenager around the world was to line up then every twelfth kid of the line would attempt a suicide. It shows that every one out of 12 kids is trying to end their life. I discovered that in an article, â€Å"Suicide is the third leading cause for deaths of teens.† (http://www.thementalhealthblog.com/2013/10/teenage-depression-and-suicide-statistics/) This is really significant because for teenagers, suicide is easier. It also shows that many teenagers die from aids, cancer and stroke. Another thing I discovered in an article was, â€Å"Nearly 60% of all suicide in the United States is committed with a gun.† (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/suicide.html) This is important because for 60 percent of the suicide death in the United States of Ameri ca was from guns. This also shows how easy for teenagers to have access to firearm. With more people aware of how many teenagers are dying and the leading reason is cause of firearms we could stop all of it. The fact that every 40 seconds a teenager commits suicide was shocking because it shows me that the world is not a perfect place. For teenagers to give up their life for me is like someone beginning to smoke. In my mind they are both the same and they are all horrible for the people close to the person. It’s shocking to know that every year around the world more than a million people die. To find that most of the suicide is from male teenagers it was frightening. This shows that male teenagers are more aggressive than female. Since they are more aggressive they would find more ways to kill themselves. If all my friends were to suicide I would be sad because they would be part of the million of kids to give up. I found that one 1 of twelve teenagers attempt to suicide was more interesting than ever. This to me is interesting because I had personal experience in this because when I was little my sister tried to kill herself. Being little I thought she was messing around but when we got a little bit older she almost did it again  but I was able to persuade her to not. Since that girls are more likely attempt to suicide that made my sister part of the statistic. Another reason this is interesting because if kids suicide every 40 seconds it add ups. I think that this is sad because my friends could be thinking of suicide but I wouldn’t know. Like one of my teachers said everyone has two lives. I didn’t understand it but now I know. Everyone has their school life where they choose to be and then they have their life at home. So if my friends were thinking of wanting to die I wouldn’t know. Another reason this is interesting is because most suicide death is from firearms. To me for people to own firearms I think it is stupid. In my mind if a parent was to own a firearm they should lock it up. If they the weapon out anyone could just walk in and shoot themselves. I hope that teenagers could find a way to life and deaths would go down. What are some reasons teens commit suicide? Teenagers commit suicide everyday over simple reasons. For the teenagers them self those reasons are what drive them to act out their final moments. Teenagers â€Å"going through major life changes,† might be reason. (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/suicide.html) If teens were in a middle of a divorce between their parents they try to escape. This is significant because if kids were going through major life changes they would feel so many emotions. When this happens the teenagers let their emotions rule. â€Å"For teenagers, sometimes their overwhelming hopelessness is enough to cause them to take their own lives.† (http://www.teenhelp.com/teen-suicide/why-teens-commit-suicide.html ) This is important because if teens fill hopeless then it easier for them to find ways to escape. They would escape with death because they are stuck in impossible situations for them to deal with. Teenagers also suicides because they try to, â€Å"escape from overwhelming fe eling like rejection, guilt, and sadness.†(http://www.teenhelp.com/teen-suicide/why-teens-commit-suicide.html ) This is important because some teenagers can’t deal with too much feeling. So they think that attempting suicide might be the only way for them to escape. I also discovered in an online article about what causes this  feelings. â€Å"Problems are very real to the teens that are facing them. Teenagers face the pressures of trying fit in socially, to perform academically, and to act responsibly (2).† (http://www.teenhelp.com/teen-suicide/why-teens-commit-suicide.html ) This is important because every teenager feels the pressure. When they face the responsibility alone they feel neglected and alone. If they keep feeling like this they think that suicide is their only way out of feeling the pressure. Depression is another leading cause for teen’s suicide. Just like I am, every day teens are found with signs of depression. Depression can sometimes lead to suicide. â€Å"Depression may lead teens to focus on their failures and disappointments.† (http://www.teenhelp.com/teen-suicide/why-teens-commit-suicide.html ) This is important because it’s a known fact that depression is the leading factor or reason why kids kill them self. If people have depression they feel the worthless so they kill themselves to end the sadness. The reason for many teenagers to end their life because of depression or hopelessness is interesting. It’s interesting because it not just depression that takes over the teenage mind but the feeling of hopelessness. I’m shocked because every teenager has been given for a lot of responsibility.  If kids were to deal with this alone it would make them scared. Once they would feel scared then the other feeling would come and over whelm the teenager. I had been overwhelmed by the responsibility and it wasn’t fun. I understood the pain and unworthiness but my parents helped me out. I couldn’t bare the fact if my parents weren’t there to help me. Another thing I that I was shocked was the research I found about the question. The number one factor for teens to suicide was depression. In my mind I can understand, why. Since I have depression it’s sometime hard to feel happy. For me it’s like having a heavy weight on your shoulder. Another reason this is interesting is because of feeling. When I read that some teenagers kill themselves because they think it’s an escape. If I let my feelings run my actions I would be destroyed because I would be miserable. I can’t imagine someone anyone living like that. If anyone close to me said that they wanted to escape I talk to them. Another reason this is interesting is because major life changes affect decisions of the child. I remember when I was seven I moved to a new house. I was so sad because I was leaving my friends and teachers that I like. When  I got in our new house I didn’t like it. I hated everyone and was very stubborn. Then I gave everyo ne a chance and took over my life. I had to learn the hard way about letting my emotions rule my life but I promised not to go back to that place. In my mind I think everyone has a mind to run their life. But for instance some people can’t handle that pressure. I hope that if people can find their will to live they won’t overdose on drugs or killing themselves. I just hope teenagers can find a way to life. What are the signs of teens about to attempt suicide? One teenager every 40 seconds shows signs of them about to either follow through or attempt to suicide. Even though the signs might not be big they are big to the teenager. For some teenagers it is a cry for help. Some teenagers â€Å"have dramatic personality changes† (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=55145) It might not be a lot but if a teenager was happy one day and then for the rest of the week that teenager is sad, depressed or angry. This is significant because even though the teenager might go through weird changes it’s their way of saying â€Å"help me or please notice me.† Another thing I discovered was teenager about to attempt suicide â€Å"have and obsession with death, poems, essays and drawings that refer to death itself. (http://www.familyfirstaid.org/suicide.html) This is significant because let’s say your teenager never talks about death. If they had suicidal thoughts then they would be fascinated by death becaus e in their mind death is their escape. If teenagers with suicidal thoughts let their emotions rule their decisions so they’re not thinking rational, â€Å"depression with irrational bizarre behavior.† (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/suicide.html) This is significant because when teens have overwhelming feeling it run the part of mind that thinks logical. So in the way they lose that logical sense and in a way lose themselves. Teenagers also say things to see if their parents are listening. â€Å"I’m thinking of committing suicide or I wish I could just die.† (http://www.teensuicide.us/articles2.html) Sometimes they whisper it or say I just kidding. But in the end it’s never a joke. It’s important  because if a parent doesn’t respond the way a teenager expects them to respond then they feel hopeless. I did some research on my own and saw that teenagers drop hints. They would usually say â€Å"I won’t trouble you anymore.† (http://www.teensuici de.us/articles2.html) This is important because these are calls for help and in their way these signs are a way to let their feelings out. This question made me very interested because all of the signs are a call for help. In my mind it’s like when a smoker drops hints about what he has does but they are very vague. They are both similar and both a call for help. I’m interested because I know people that are interested in death but they don’t resemble me as someone that is suicidal. This question makes me interested because it is the basic reason why teenagers need our help. If I was in a position where I was need of help and I was scared then I would have drop simple hints. To the people I given the hints to it wouldn’t make sense. It would seem to them that I have gone crazy but it’s my way of saying to them that I need help. If I didn’t get the reaction that I wanted it would make me feel more hopeless and alone. Many teens around the world face this problem, the problem of feeling hopeless and alone. In a way the teenager’s signs can be saved if anyone could notice and listen. I think it is intriguing for parents that don’t listen to their children. Around the world there are 20 kids who are dropping signs about that they are going to kill themselves. One- third of those kids are noticed but the rest the unlucky ones fill as if they are alone and in the end slowly give up. I couldn’t believe the fact that there are teens who feel alone. In my mind I feel as if people don’t care about their children it’s just like murder straight up murder. I hope that people could just open up their mind and see that suicide is very important. Can someone help a teenager that has suicide thoughts? Yes, if parents open their eyes to the signs that their kids are showing to them then they can save the teenager. Articles and doctor say that you should â€Å"get help immediately. This is significant because if yo can have the kid talk to someone about their problems then its suppose to help them. The teenager would understand that they are not alone or neglected.  Refer to a psychologist  (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/suicide.html).  Another thing the article stated, â€Å"Understanding depression in teens is very important since it can look different.† (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/suicide.html) This is important because there are at least 4 known types of depression. Even though each one is similar they have certain symptoms that distinguish each other from each one. For teen depression they are different because unlike the other depression teens from some people. Once you understand signs then you could help the teenager.  "Watch, listen and ask questions.† (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/suicide.html) This is significant because if someone was to watch and listen to their child then they would see that their teenager needs help. Teenagers also want support from their parents. If parents were to, â€Å"keep the lines of communication open and express concern, support,† then they would understand their child (http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/suicide.html). This is significant because if the teenage confides with the parent then they would feel happy. For them the teenage would feel that the parent is actually taking their concerns very seriously. Suicide is a hard thing for teens to deal with. In the end they don’t know what to do but find their own escape. Reading the article I was astonished by all the things a parent can do but never actually does. I think that these ways of helping a teenager is interesting because it shows some ways of helping suicidal teenager. I wish that everyone could have caring parents. When I was down my dark path and near depression they were there. They helped me by listening to my problems and help me problem solve. I think it’s interesting bec ause around the world there are a lot of teenager that need help. Not all of them get the help they seek so they end their life. For me it’s sad that there is so many kids dying. I just hope one day we can know the signs and make this world a better place. Conclusion I am very interested in the understanding everything there is about suicide. I’m intrigued by the fact that over 1 million kids have died because of  simple reason that could have been fixed. In my mind all these facts were really interesting specially knowing that there are 5 types of depression. As a result of this research I know how to deal with this situation. I would know to how to help people that are going through this. I would know the signs of what a suicidal teenage is showing. I would also be able to spread it to others. Every day a teenager is faced with a choice. They can either live the life they were given or give up and embrace death. Everyday some teenager you know could be in trouble. Would you help or you let that kid become part of the one million kids that die that year. This current event is about how Israel might take humanity back to the dark ages. The dark ages occurred right after the collapse of the Roman Empire. The Israeli army bulldozed recently entered a village next a town called Aqraba. They did this so they can demolish a home that had belonged to a Palestinian family. They did this other numerous times. Their hallucinations over false evidence is making us go back to another dark ages. Since they are curtailing the rights of the Bedouins then they want a war. A war that is devastating with Iran and Islam. For Israel to be peace they would make the Middle East a nuclear peace zone. Maybe the U.s would do the same. This is important because the dark ages were chaotic. The world if ever went back to the world go crazy. Another reason this is important because with the Israel wanting to defend itself it would do it without it missiles. Also if the east was to have no nuclear then it might be a time of peace. It would be a small step but the step would create a big history for the world. The world wouldn’t have to worry about nuclear weapons if we got rid of it. We also might be able to stop terrorist. In a way if we can go back to a peaceful time then it would be great for everyone. In way I would be good for us. Then we could create a better world. A world where it will be safe everyone.

Tegan case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tegan - Case Study Example and Baven (1994) and Domberger (1998), this concept has been formally defined as â€Å"an activity where the supplier provides for the delivery of goods and/or services that would previously have been offered in-house by the buyer organization in a predetermined agreement† (Tho, 2005, â€Å"Agreeing the Definition of Outsourcing†). In keeping with this brief introduction, the current research will aim at evaluating the decision of Tegan, Inc. (Tegan) to outsource its accounts payable (A/P) project and recommending one or more feasible options from among those that had already been identified by the organization. As has been mentioned in the introduction, the decision that had been taken by Tegan while outsourcing it’s crucial A/P project will be evaluated under this heading. Considerable efforts will be made to identify the reason behind outsourcing, the major outsourcing challenge, and the tradeoffs in requirement analysis (performed by Hrad Technika – a Czechoslovakian IT company). Subsequently, the choice of development methodology will be discussed and problems pertaining to scope and requirements will also be analyzed. Finally, light will also be shed on the IT-management failures of the organization. It has been reported that despite sluggish sales, Tegan had managed to grown constantly all through its life. On being approached by the Chinese toy maker Fan Li in May 2007, Tegan could not apprehend that the inclusion of this accessory line would lead to a situation where the increase in orders will not match with that in sales growth. However, the contract was perceived to be a mismatch because of wide differences that existed between the two companies in terms of pricing – while Tegan’s products came at an average price of  £50, Fan Li often priced its accessories below  £5. It has been observed that the profit margin being in the range of 1 percent the major concern at Tegan was the error-free management of the A/P process. As the A/P process at

Describe three economic issues concerning President Obama's Health Research Paper

Describe three economic issues concerning President Obama's Health Care Plan - Research Paper Example The first source is directly from the White House and considers the economic benefits of President Barack Obama’s health care plan. As it is directly related to the President it is undoubtedly slanted; however, it also is important in that it directly reflects the White House perspective on the economics of health care reform. The White House argues that the health care plan will make health care more affordable for Americans. It argues this will occur since the health care plan will provide significant tax cuts for middle class Americans. These tax cuts are intended to reduce the premium costs of over ten million families, as well as millions of small businesses. In all, the article argues that this helps, â€Å"32 million Americans afford health care who do not get it today – and makes coverage more affordable for many more. Under the plan, 95% of Americans will be insured.† (White House, Web) In addition to the specified benefits, the White House argues that there are a number of other benefits that can be derived from the recently passed health care bill. The arguments are that the health care reform bill will establish a competitive environment among health insurance companies that will further reduce costs and improve quality of service. In addition it is intended to give many Americans the same quality of service that many members of Congress have. It is also intended to bring more accountability to health insurance companies, as the rules will require more transparency and accountability. Furthermore, it notes – and this indeed is one of the major issues that concerns the economic status of Obama’s motivation for health care reform – namely that individuals with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied health care coverage. Finally, the site argues that this reform will set the country on the right path for economic success. While

Global Market Entry Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Global Market Entry Strategies - Essay Example Ultravac started manufacturing the 'portable asthma pumps' under the brand name 'purepumps', when there was no other company in the Australian market, manufacturing such pumps. Two other companies were marketing these pumps by importing from Europe. Company assessed a huge market for the local product. In order to meet the Australian legal and medical regulations, Ultravac ended up investing heavily in the 'purepumps' venture, which saw huge cost overruns. On the other hand the two competitors, importing the pumps, made good use of economies of scale and were able to keep their customer base intact on account of the critical nature of the product; it being a medical aid product, customers appeared somewhat reluctant to use a new and unproven product. This forced the company to think about alternatives. The strategic alliance with Pharmacare, an Australian pharmaceutical chain, proved helpful for the company in that it offered a readymade market for asthma pumps through pharmacies, doctors' surgeries, hospitals etc. and company was able to increase its market share. The complex conditions of agreement between Ultravac and Pharmacare, did not allow the company to enter into partnership with other companies in the domestic market, which proved to be a serious setback for the company. Eager to come out of the alliance with Pharmacare, the company started winding up the p... Company was able to provide a dependable aftersales service support to the customers, which helped the company in gaining customer's confidence Eager to come out of the alliance with Pharmacare, the company started winding up the production of asthma pumps. But the strategy backfired on at least two counts. One, the factory workers were up in arms against the sudden decision of closure, which forced the company to shell out a hefty $850 000 in order to calm down the agitating workers. Secondly, customers became apprehensive about the service and repairs. In addition Pharmacare too slapped a legal suit on Ultravac. All this resulted in adverse publicity for the company and the once national fame started translating into national shame. Finally, Ultravac had to enter into out of courst settlement with Pharmacare by paying a good undisclosed amount in addition to assuring its customers that the company will indeed keep looking after the customers for repairs and maintenance. Ultravac had to reinvest huge amounts in brand building exercise to gloss over the damage done by the problematic tie-up with Pharmacare. The company continued to serve domestic as well as international markets for the next couple of years, but preferred to go for a change of brand identity once again, using it as a tool to tide over the bad publicity. Key external factors faced by Ultravac in the international arena include; Company entered into strategic alliances with supplies and distributors from abroad. On the one hand company entered into agreements with suppliers of component parts, guaranteeing unhindered flow of components for its asthma pumps market. On the

CAUSES of young adults low self esteem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CAUSES of young adults low self esteem - Essay Example There are a number of factors, which affect the self-esteem of a person positively or negatively. Development of high or low self-esteem of a person starts in a very young age. The age of 15 to 25 years is generally known as the age of young adults and this age is the most progressive age of any person. The people having high self-esteem face the challenges of life confidently whereas the people with a low level of self-esteem are not able to progress in life in an appropriate manner. Low self-esteem can lead the way towards various problems such as depression, hopelessness, despair, and antisocial behaviors. Amaechi (2007) asserts, â€Å"Low Self Esteem will make you act indifferently, negatively to the various events that occur in your life†. Some of the factors, which cause low self-esteem in a young adult, include parents’ expectations, social status, parents’ care, decision-making power, unemployment, disability, and educational performance. Let us discuss t hese factors in some detail in order to know how these factors influence the self-esteem of young adults. Parent’s Expectations Parents usually expect a lot from their young children. The level of self-esteem of young adults goes down when they do not live up to the expectation of their parents. The sense of failure and the fear of criticism of the society play a major role in causing low self-esteem in young adults. ... Those children, who do not get required care from their parents due to their busy routines, feel neglected which causes low self-esteem in those children. Decision-Making Power A person having fewer choices to take an appropriate decision is not able to calculate the accurate outcomes the decision that he intends to take. Such people hesitate to take risks related to different matters of life. The lack of choices to make a decision also causes low self-esteem in young adults which also affects their decision making power. Unemployment Unemployment is another factor that causes low self-esteem in young adults. Some adults do not find any sort of employment whereas some adults do not find opportunities to move to some better companies in order to get good jobs. Both of these factors work as the reasons for bringing down the level of self-esteem of a person. Young adults are generally very progressive by nature. They want to excel in their professional lives as soon as they graduate, bu t when they do not find any chance to progress in their professional careers, they feel highly dejected which causes their level of self-esteem go down. Disability and Appearance Physical or mental disabilities also cause low self-esteem in young adults. A person who is physically disable feels inferior and depressed. Even a person with bad looks or unattractive physical appearance feels unable to mark success in his life. A disable person also isolates himself from active social life due to the fear of ignorance and off-putting comments of other people. Educational Performance Poor educational performance is also one of the major causes of low self-esteem of young adults. The adults who show

Marketing Plan for a new Product in Qatari Market Essay

Marketing Plan for a new Product in Qatari Market - Essay Example The mission statement of automobile firms defines their brand, culture, and customer experience. Since Chevrolet is a brand of the GM, it uses the mission statement of the General Motors Car Company. The mission statement of GM is backed by the following core principles: safety and quality first, create life-long customers, innovate, deliver long-term investment value, and make a positive difference. The unofficial mission statement of Chevrolet brand is â€Å"We win when the customer says we win.† In the Middle East, the Chevrolet-branded cars are a sourced from General Motors in North America, General Motors Korea in South Korea, and General Motors Holden in Australia (Gustin, 2008). Chevrolet has various vehicles. To that effect, the paper will discuss the marketing plan for Chevrolet Cruze car brand in the Qatari market. In the present scenario, the Qatari automobile market segment has now been developing in a considerable manner due to augmented demand for fuel efficient, spacious, affordable, and easy to maintain cars. According to Qatar’s Automobiles Company, by the end of this year, about 90,000 cars had been sold in Qatar with most of the vehicles being from Toyota Company. Furthermore, Rolls-Royce also realized an increase in sales by 37 percent. In the same way, most of the automobile companies recorded an increase in the number of sales. However, Bhaktavatsala (2013) notes that more than 700,000 people drive Chevrolet cars in Qatar. Chevrolet has significant market share in the automobile market. Most of the people who purchase motor vehicles in Qatar have higher disposable incomes. This implies that they have the ability to purchase the vehicles in spite of their higher prices. Most Qataris prefer to purchase vehicles that are technologically advanced, fuel efficient, stylish with modern features, and easy to maintain. Proceeding further, nobody denies that safety is one of the major concerns of customers. Almost all automobile

Abortion Should Be Made Legal or Illegal Research Paper

Abortion Should Be Made Legal or Illegal - Research Paper Example Abortion clinics are the only medical personnel who have a â€Å"constitutional right† to suppress information even when directly asked by the patient (Szafran and Arthur 284). This right is apparently allowed so that â€Å"conscientious physicians† might ‘protect’ women from being frightened by the risk they face or upset by what the abortion process will do to their unborn children. It is solely up to the pleasure of the abortionist or his representative to decide how much information he chooses to give. Most women need support and not an abortion. According to Frederica Mathewes, no woman wants an abortion as she wants an ice-cream cone or a Porsche. She wants an abortion as an animal, caught in a trap, wants to gnaw off its own leg. Pregnant women do want and need support (Wade). While pro-choicers often say that an abortion is a woman’s choice, for numerous women it doesn’t feel like one. Indeed, abortion often seems like the only choice. Most women think that pregnancy will mean loss of vital resources. This is because they lack support. Most women take abortion because they think of it as the only way out. Abortion is not an act of love. Many women say that they want to be good parents and that it is not the right time and that’s why the abort. Women say that they are not prepared for a child but still want the best for the child.

Patient Satisfaction and Retention Strategies in Hospitals Thesis

Patient Satisfaction and Retention Strategies in Hospitals - Thesis Example This paper illustrates that the performance of any hospital is dependent on the patient satisfaction and retention strategies for hospitals. Studies have been conducted on how hospitals can improve their patient satisfaction and retention strategies, as well as, how hospitals can attract patients. However, the studies did not explain explicitly the tactics that can be implemented to help attract patients and retain them at the same time. Therefore, the need to understand and analyze various factors that can help in improving patient satisfaction and retention in hospital settings. Although studies have been conducted to establish why different hospitals perform better than others, employee satisfaction has always satisfaction has always been a very important tool for medical staff. Staffs who are content will be more productive than discontented staff and will also have the low turnover of staff. The question of why some hospitals perform better than others is asked by many and by co nducting a research on the patient satisfaction and retention strategies on Sheikh Khalifa some of the questions will be answered. Though sickness is not something that can be wished for it is foolish or naà ¯ve to ignore the fact that people fall ill. It is in this context that SKMC tries to understand that treating a patient does not necessarily mean he or she is satisfied with the services offered. SKMC was built in 2005 due to the merger of publicly managed health care providers in Abu Dhabi. It encompasses several ‘Centers of Excellence’ and it is run by the Cleveland Clinic. It functions as the leading institution in SEHAs system. It is overseen by its obligation to practice modern health care services to high standards as high as the world’s best medical facilities. SKMC’s broad healthcare services provide for the priorities of the people of Abu Dhabi. It ensures both the finest levels of patient satisfaction and care and promotes overall health th rough awareness and education. SEHA is standing for Abu Dhabi Health Services and Company. SEHA is the Arabic word for health. It was launched in December 2007 and it is owned and run by the Abu Dhabi government. SEHA was launched by the government has plans to reform the healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi and represent a positive milestone in the provision of the best healthcare services in the world by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa.

Religion and Education Essay Example for Free

Religion and Education Essay In this aper, I will discuss and explain the influence of religion and education on societies since the beginning of mankind. 1) Religion deals with almost all aspects of human life. 2) History cannot be taught in education without the mention of religious influences on civilizations. 3) The role of religion in public education is not limited to America alone, since the beginning of mankind every civilization has shown some type of evolution within their religious and educational institutions. There are several examples from different parts of the world to prove how widespread the problem is. ) All societies and civilizations are made up of individuals that belong to families. Families are the core of all societies and the religious choices of each family will society as a whole. 1) It may have influence in education, marriage, work, and even food. American religious education, as a kind of spiritual support, has been playing a supportive role in Americans outlook on life, the realization of life value, the shaping of personality, ethic concepts and national spirit. Its important role is manifested in the economic and political fields. (MENG Xianxia/Cross-cultural Communication Vol. No. 2 1001, p. 231) Religion influence many aspects of day to day issues such as life choices, dress, and education. As shown in the article, Religious Experience and Progressive Education, published in the American Educational History Journal by Jared R. Stallones, A recent survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life revealed that fully eighty-four percent of Americans identify themselves as adherents ofa specific religion. Eighty-eight percent are absolutely or fairly certain of the existence of God or a universal spirit, including fifteen percent of self-identified atheists. Eighty-two percent of the population considers religion to be very or somewhat important in their lives, and seventy-five percent of Americans, including ten percent of atheists, prayed at least once per week. (p33) This demonstrates how religion is an important entity in the daily lives of many. This is because religions deal with the human life as a whole. For centuries people have searched for the meaning and truth of their own nature and the nature of the universe, religions are the result. We view religions as communities of people who share practices and beliefs, who gather together in special buildings to worship, and ho have a special way of living. More than three-quarters of the worlds population consider themselves members of some kind of religion. Religion influences almost all aspects of human life. It may have influence in education, marriage, work, and even food. ) The United States was founded on the principles of religion, the citizens of this country can practice whatever religion they like without being persecuted. The liberties provided under the Constitution allow individuals to practice their religious beliets openly and without Judgment. These beliets provide guidance and structure in the lives of these individuals. After the founding of the United States, although the Constitution clearly regulates secularism, rel igions in America are always closely intertwined with the process of American history, and play a huge impact on the political, economic, legal and cultural fields. American sociologist Richard Newhouse said, A basic fact about the United States is that Americans themselves claim that most of them are Christian and the moral foundations of American society are Jewish-Christian morality Just as non-Christian believe. (Zhang, 2007, p. 13) (MENG Xianxia/Cross-cultural Communication Vol. 7. No. 2, 2011). There are thousands of religions and thousand more subdivisions of those. Religions are divided mainly into ancient and modern religions. Not to say that the modern religions Just originated in the past couple years, Just they are still practiced in present times. Some of the ancient religions include Egyptian, Zoroastria, Greek, Norse, and Celtic. (Source and Cite) 3) People have been shunned, ostracized, sacrificed, and killed because of their religious beliefs. These acts take place because individuals have different views. There are several examples from different parts of the world to prove how idespread the problem is. American society is a blend of secularized and religious elements. Anderson (2004) noted that these two elements have always posed a dilemma for public education. The struggle is how to accommodate both of these societal characteristics. He pointed out that the secular nature of American public culture and its underlying pluralistic character are important aspects of the context for our system of education. The role of religion in public education is not limited to America alone. There are several examples from different parts of the world to prove how widespread the problem is. Thomas (2006) reported a case in France in which a Muslim girl was expelled for wearing a traditional Islamic headscarf. The President supported the move saying that religion should not be permitted in public schools. Islamic leaders protested that the ban was prejudicial, singling out Muslims for discriminatory practices. Hinsliff (2004) reported an interesting controversy in which Christian evangelists in England wanted to have the strengthening of faith teaching in schools. They dropped the idea when 4) Families are the core of all societies and the religious choices of each family will affect society as a whole. The religious choices of a family will influence an individuals decisions that will in turn affect society as a whole. What in individual puts out into society will come back as their decision and actions affect society as a whole. Religion is an important entity in the lives of many. According to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, Religious freedom includes the right to assemble for private and public worship, determine the conditions of membership, give religious instructions, preach its message publicly, and publish and circulate religious material (International Religious Freedom, Sec. (3) Article 18). The United States is one of the nations with most fantastic religious background, and in reality religion and religious education permeates all aspects of American life. Religion lies in American family education, school education, political activities and social life, playing a role that cannot be ignored. (MENG Abstract p. l) Conclusion: Although religion has been and is a heated topic at times and since the beginning of mankind, we cannot deny the fact, the influence it has had in educational institutions through the development of all civilizations, I teel that this is a great thing. ou will not get very tar into any educational issues without somehow bumping into religious themes. Marty goes on to explains in Christianity and its legacy in education that We Americans are taught to think of American society as a secular one in which religion does not count for much, and our educational system is organized in such a way that religious concerns often receive little attention. But if you think for a moment, you may realize that a better question is, where does religion not come into all this? (Burke and Segal p. 631). To have religion thwarting together with education is what gives us history. It is what takes us to the next point in life. It gives us guidance and even sometimes warnings. As a young boy that has been brought up in the ministry and to see how religion has played a key role in my life and education applaud this. It is known that religion and education has been around for thousands of years and I believe it will continue for many more. From teaching your grandson to assemble a tomahawk to worshipping the Greek god of war, people show religion and education in many different ways. As, David P. Setran referenced in the Teachers College Record article More Religion in Education and More Education in Religion: Liberal Progressivism and the Educational Common Faith, 1917-1940, The Kingdom of God proved to be a powerful image of the ideal democracy and a powerful representation of religion and education working together to build a better world. It is recommended that future scholars continue to look in other parts of the country and among other individuals to trace these powerful cooperative relation, thus restoring the place of religion as an important source and ally of progressive education. (p. l, abstract) (Teachers College Record, vl 14 nl 2012. 29pp. Religion and education have been wedded in western culture for as long as schools have existed, and as long as religious diversity and democratic decision-making endure in American society, then struggles between and about religion and education will continue in American schools (Religious Experience and Progressive Education, published in the American Educational History Journal by Jared R. Stallones, p33. ) Religion and education has been around for thousands of years and it will continue for many more.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Remote Working System Computer Science Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Remote Working System Computer Science Essay Introduction The following report will be based on providing potential requirements of the basic scenario and a through explanation of advantages and disadvantages of updating the current network of the EERP Company. By analysing the key requirements it is clearly explained that the EERP is having two major employee classes as senior staff and junior staff. Junior staff works in the office which mean that they worked on fixed places. This will result them to have personal computers with LAN (Local Area Network) connectivity. Depending on the budget this can vary up to a wireless network by implementing wireless interfacing cards to their personal computers and having WIFI zones on the working area. Senior staff on the other hand, they work in their homes. From their they should be able to do various kind of functionalities E.g. deliver companys message via ProwerPoint presentations, compile, print documents, perform quires on existing customer records, send and receive email and complete sales orders. These functionalities should be done online or through the WIFI network at the company. It is clarified that the management has decided to equip the senior staff with a mixture of wireless enabled portable notebook PCs, printers and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to get the maximum benefits out of their senior staff. To achieve these desired functionalities it is a must to implement a Virtual Private Network (VPN) between the senior staff and the Office network of the office. This will result them to connect their office even though they are remotely connected. They will be able to perform same kind of functionality which they perform in their office environment. When they work in the office they can connect to the WIFI network without connecting to the VPN. This network architecture will provide the senior member to be connected on their office network every time whenever they want. When it comes to wireless connectivity or VPN, security is a must. It is important to implement necessary security methods and protocols to connect any of the networks. With respect to the following requirements no of WIFI and VPN users should me defined and should be expandable with the growth of the company. Depending on the budget, suitable VPN provider should be selected. With the basic understanding of the key requirements it will be possible to prepare a network system with remote networking functionality. Advantages and Disadvantages of having remote working system Pros, It will be easier to implement and maintain. High reliability and availability. Network cabling will be reduced. Employees can stand on their work place dynamically without staying on one location Can easily configure the security of the network. Can easily divide departments as blocks of network access points. Expansion of the network will be easier than a Traditional wired LAN. Cons, Network connectivity will be lower than a wired LAN. VPN implementation will be expensive. Company should be facing a higher security threat when implementing a VPN. In order to enhance the security, firewalls and other third party tools have to be purchased. Employees should be well trained to use VPNs and wireless networks to avoid any sort of interruptions. Failure of a VPN will result some employees to not to cooperate with the company until it is fixed. Benefits to the company This system will allow employees to work interactively without any disruption. Employees who work on the office will have the WIFI connectivity. This means that they can work on their office desk as well as when they are not. They might be interacting with the customers even so they can connect with the network. They can share information, print documents and can query the information database. This will result interactive and efficient communication with their customers. Senior staff on the other hand can work in home as they are in the office. Because of the VPN they will gain almost all of the network capabilities as they are in the office. Email services, document sharing, print documents and even online presentation facilities can be provided. When they visit the office they can connect to the wireless network using their wireless enabled notebooks and PDAs. As a result they can have almost the same functionalities. Estimate of the cost NETWORK CABLE; BULK CABLE 1000M UNSHIELDED TWISTED PAIR (UTP) =  £ 315 RJ45 Connector Network Cable CAT5 Crimp Ends Plug x 100 =  £ 4.98 D-Link DES-1024D 24-Port 10/100Mbps Network Switch = £ 61.00 D-Link DSL-2640R Wireless G ADSL2 Wireless router DSL 802.11b/g =  £ 56.00 NETGEAR ProSafe Quad WAN Gigabit SSL VPN Firewall SRX5308 Router =  £ 254.00 RJ45 Network Crimp Tool =  £ 20.00 Mercury Multi Network Tester =  £ 7.00 Test UM WP150 Wi Net Window Wireless Analyzer =  £150.00 Task 2. Set up a network with 2 wireless nodes and 1 wired node. 192.168.248.57 -Default GatewayC:UserssonyDesktopNWinternet.jpgC:UserssonyDesktopNWwifi signalC:UserssonyDesktopNWLinksys-router-wireless.jpg C:UserssonyDesktopNWlaptop.jpg 192.168.248.61 C:UserssonyDesktopNWpc.jpgC:UserssonyDesktopNWwifi signalC:UserssonyDesktopNWlaptop.jpg 192.168.248.62 192.168.248.63 Wireless Router A router is a device that forwards data packets along networks. A router is connected to at least two networks, commonly two LANs or WANs or a LAN and its ISPs network. Routers are located at gateways, the places where two or more networks connect, and are the critical device that keeps data flowing between networks and keeps the networks connected to the Internet. When data is sent between locations on one network or from one network to a second network the data is always seen and directed to the correct location by the router. The router accomplishes this by using headers and forwarding tables to determine the best path for forwarding the data packets, and they also use protocols such as ICMP to communicate with each other and configure the best route between any two hosts. Network Interfacing Card A network interface card, more commonly referred to as a NIC, is a device that allows computers to be joined together in a LAN, or local area network. Networked computers communicate with each other using a given protocol or agreed-upon language for transmitting data packets between the different machines, known as nodes. The network interface card acts as the liaison for the machine to both send and receive data on the LAN. The most common language or protocol for LANs is Ethernet, sometimes referred to as IEEE 802.3. A lesser-used protocol is Token Ring. When building a LAN, a network interface card must be installed in each computer on the network and all NICs in the network must be of the same architecture. For example, all must either be Ethernet cards, Token Ring cards, or an alternate technology. WIFI Cards A wireless network adapter allows a computing device to join a wireless LAN. Wireless network adapters contain a built-in radio transmitter and receiver. Each adapter supports one or more of the 802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11g Wi-Fi standards. Wireless network adapters also exist in several different form factors. Traditional PCIwireless adapters are add-in cards designed for installation inside a desktop computer having a PCI bus. USB wireless adapters connect to the external USB port of a computer. Finally, so-called PC Card or PCMCIA wireless adapters insert into a narrow open bay on a notebook computer. One example of a PC Card wireless adapter, the Linksys WPC54G (compare prices) is shown above. Each type of wireless network adapter is small, generally less than 6 inches (0.15 m) long. Each provides equivalent wireless capability according to the Wi-Fi standard it supports. Some notebook computers are now manufactured with bulit-in wireless networking. Small chips inside the computer provide the equivalent functions of a network adapter. These computers obviously do not require separate installation of a separate wireless network adapter. Setting up wireless Connectivity I have used TP_LINK as the router. To connect to the router I have used on of the LAN ports. At the browser type http://192.168.1.1/ to view the login page. Default username and password admin and admin are used to log in. If successful administration page of the router will be loaded. Navigate to the Wireless -> Wireless Settings. Change the security Type to WPA-PSK/WPA2 -PSK Change the PSK PassPhrase (Password) : pillarboxx Save and reboot. C:UserssonyDesktopNWTP_Link_Login.jpg C:UserssonyDesktopNWWap.jpg Setting up Default Gateway and DHCP Server Please use previously mentioned steps to login to the router. Navigate to the Advanced Settings -> DHCP -> DHCP Settings. Enable the DHCP server Change the start IP address to : 192.168.248.60 Change the End IP address to : 192.168.248.90 Change the default gateway address to : 192.168.248.57 Save and reboot.C:UserssonyDesktopNWDHCP configuration.jpg Change the SSID of the Wireless access point Please use previously mentioned steps to login to the router. Navigate to the Wireless -> Wireless Settings. Change SSID : PTLSJC Save and reboot.C:UserssonyDesktopNWSSID.jpg 1. View Available Wireless screen C:UserssonyDesktopNWNEW SSID.jpg 2. List of connected nodes from the router Please use previously mentioned steps to login to the router. Navigate to the Advanced Settings -> IP and MAC Binding -> ARP List C:UserssonyDesktopNWconnected nodes.jpg This will show all the connected devices together with their IP and MAC Addresses. Two of the devices are connected via wireless 192.168.248.61, 192.168.248.63. and the other device is connected via LAN connection 192.168.248.62. NOTE: All the above mentioned configurations are explained in detail at each step. Copy a file from a shared folder from machine 1 to machine 2 via wireless network Go to My Computer. Select the Network from the Left menu. This will allow you to view all the available devices. Select the device which the file wants to be copied. (Figure 2) It will appear all the available shared devices and folders of that device. (Figure 2) Navigate to a shared folder. Figure 1Paste the file which wants to be copied.C:UserssonyDesktopNWfile Sharing 2.jpg C:UserssonyDesktopNWfile Sharing.png Figure 2 Figure 3C:UserssonyDesktopNWfile Sharing 3.jpg Task 3. Link Systems D-Link Xtreme N Gigabit Router DIR-655 Wireless router Price:  £ 60.00 Features: gaming and phone calling (VoIP) experience. Ideal for streaming HD video or streaming multiple applications simultaneously. Dual active firewall protection (SPI NAT) helps block malicious attacks on networks from the Internet. Includes the latest wireless security (WEP, WPA WPA2) features that help prevent unauthorized access. Virtually no wireless dead spots. Advanced Parental Controls. Supports Windows ® Connect Now (WCN) for easy wireless setup. Automatic Firmware Update Notification. E-mail Notification for Triggered Events. Integrated Wireless Security Wizard. Removable Antennas for Flexible Installation Options. Wall Mountable to Save Desk Space. Linksys E1000 Wireless-N Router Wireless router Price:  £49.00 Features: 128-bit encryption, NAT support, State full Packet Inspection (SPI), MAC address filtering, VPN pass through, firmware upgradable, wall mountable, Wi-Fi Protectedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Linksys E1000 Wireless-N Router is best for basic wireless Internet usage and home office productivity. Speed up your wireless network with a router that connects your computer, game consoles and other Wi-Fi devices at high transfer speed. Cisco Connect software has three simple steps to get you set up and your secure wireless network is ready to go. A streamlined user interface allows you to choose from simple to advanced settings with no hassle. Keep Wi-Fi freeloaders and Internet threats at bay with WPA/WPA2 security settings. ETGEAR Wireless-N Router WNR2000 Wireless router Price:  £ 33.00 Features: Firewall protection, NAT support, State full Packet Inspection (SPI), DoS attack prevention, Intrusion Detection System (IDS), Simple and secure way to share your high-speed Internet connection Push N Connect securely connects at the touch of a button Wireless-N technology delivers exceptional range and speed Easy setup with Smart Wizard Installation CD Push N Connect using Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) allows you to add computers to the network quickly and securely . Automatically checks and upgrades to latest software for optimal performance Internal antennas deliver maximum performance and range Convenient on / off switch helps save energy when not in use Energy Star-compliant efficient power supply Packaging manufactured with at least 80% recycled materials

Genetic Screening :: Science Technology Religion Papers

Genetic Screening The door opens and your doctor steps into the room. The doctor is wearing a frown on his face. He tells you that they just got your tests back from the lab and wants to refer you to a genetic counselor. Given the current trend in our society man y of us may fare this situation in our future. But what does this mean to our lives, what can these tests really tell us? In this document I will address what type of tests are considered genetic screening and what they can tell us, the ethical argument s floating around in the media today, and how you should embrace this new technology. What is Genetic screening Many of the tests we call genetic screening are for pregnant women. Pregnant women are given many tests to screen for possible fetal developmental problems. Some of the tests done are blood tests to tell if the women has a higher predisposition t o have a baby with spina bifida, or fetal Down syndrome. (Blatt 1997) These tests are safer than the invasive tests and many people are hoping that someday all of the genetic screening done will be done on the mothers blood, this te chnique is called fetal cell sorting. But today many of the tests that can be done on the fetus require invasive techniques, like a needle for amniocentesis and precutaneous umbilical blood sampling where a needle is inserted into an umbilical vein in ue tero. These tests can actually screen the genes of the fetuses. And in some situations women choose to terminate pregnancies because of the results. One test done on newborns has been in practice since the sixties. Phenylketonuria is a disease that can cause retardation if not caught early enough in a child's development. The government has mandated the testing of newborn for this metabolic i mbalance that can be treated by proper diet. (Blatt 1997) Many other diseases can be diagnosed at birth with relatively no danger to the infant as compared to the invasive procedure describe earlier. But many of these diseases that can be diagnosed have no known treatment for them like Phenylketonuria. From newborns on up to adulthood many new diseases can be diagnosed. Many tests have been developed, and more are developed everyday thanks to the Human Genome Project. The sheer enormity of data scientists are being presented with virtually ensure that almost everyone will have some genetic disorder that could be identified.

Computational Complexity and Philosophical Dualism :: Dualism Essays

Computational Complexity and Philosophical Dualism ABSTRACT: I examine some recent controversies involving the possibility of mechanical simulation of mathematical intuition. The first part is concerned with a presentation of the Lucas-Penrose position and recapitulates some basic logical conceptual machinery (GÃ ¶del's proof, Hilbert's Tenth Problem and Turing's Halting Problem). The second part is devoted to a presentation of the main outlines of Complexity Theory as well as to the introduction of Bremermann's notion of transcomputability and fundamental limit. The third part attempts to draw a connection/relationship between Complexity Theory and undecidability focusing on a new revised version of the Lucas-Penrose position in light of physical a priori limitations of computing machines. Finally, the last part derives some epistemological/philosophical implications of the relationship between GÃ ¶del's incompleteness theorem and Complexity Theory for the mind/brain problem in Artificial Intelligence and discusses the compatibili ty of functionalism with a materialist theory of the mind. This paper purports to re-examine the Lucas-Penrose argument against Artificial Intelligence in the light of Complexity Theory. Arguments against strong AI based on some philosophical consequences derived from an interpretation of GÃ ¶del's proof have been around for many years since their initial formulation by Lucas (1961) and their recent revival by Penrose (1989,1994). For one thing, Penrose is right in sustaining that mental activity cannot be modeled as a Turing Machine. However, such a view does not have to follow from the uncomputable nature of some human cognitive capabilities such as mathematical intuition. In what follows I intend to show that even if mathematical intuition were mechanizable (as part of a conception of mental activity understood as the realization of an algorithm) the Turing Machine model of the human mind becomes self-refuting. Our contention will start from the notion of transcomputability. Such a notion will allow us to draw a pathway between formal and physical limitations of symbol-based artificial intelligence by bridging up computational complexity and undecidability. Furthermore, linking complexity and undecidability will reveal that functionalism is incompatible with a materialist theory of the mind and that adherents of functionalism have systematically overlooked implementational issues. 1 - The Lucas-Penrose argument — Lucas-Penrose argument runs as follows: GÃ ¶del's incompleteness theorem shows that computational systems are limited in a way that humans are not. In any consistent formal system powerful enough to do a certain sort of arithmetic there will be a true sentence — a GÃ ¶del sentence (G) — that the system cannot prove.

Never Leave Your Past Behind Essay -- Essays Papers

Never Leave Your Past Behind I grew up in a low-income, single-parent family on the far south-side of Chicago. My sister and her family also lived with us. They needed a place to stay while they looked for a more affordable house. One thing my family doesn't do is turn our backs on each other. Sociologists who claim to be experts on non-white families have their own words for this type of situation. They derogatorily label this as a poverty-stricken, Black matriarchal extended family who lives in the ghetto. Yet all in all, we were happy because we helped each other. We were not the type of family who wondered what the next meal would be. We always knew we would have food on the table, but the type of food was a different story. Plain and simple, our goal was to survive. Survival to us was to get a job and hopefully wake up the next morning. I didn't think about college. Why should I? I didn't even like high school. But, somehow, somewhere an idea was instilled in me. "To be 'somebody,' I must go to college; if I didn't go, I would be a nobody." Because I believed this, I became more distant from my family and friends. I felt ashamed of my family because no one went to college right out of high school except for me. I felt my friends were not worthy of my time because I was in college and they were not. My biggest mistake in life was when I tried to leave my past behind me. It took me nineteen long, painful years to believe and learn never to be ashamed of who I am or where I came from. Since I lived in an area where there were only Blacks, I wanted to get away from them. I didn't want to witness another murder in front of my house. I couldn't tolerate another ten-to-twenty year old drug seller stopping me and asking, "... ... love myself and to love my family. After I knew my family supported me in whatever I did or said, my life began. Mentally, I grew stronger. I no longer felt ashamed of my family or friends. Most of all, I no longer was ashamed of being Black. In fact, I love myself because I am Black. I feel empowered because of what I have seen and experienced. I am proud because I am the first one in my family to attend college. I am happy because the people I love have helped me the best way they knew how. The only thing I needed to do was to love myself for who I am and where I came from. In order to do that, as my favorite high school teacher said, "You have to know where you came from before you know where you're going. And, you can't do that by acting like someone else." After all these years, I am proud to announce that I am a Black woman who knows where she's going.

Marketing (Repositioning) Essay

There is a wide range of forces acting upon organizations which make the need for service repositioning inevitable. The main forces include changing technology and expectations of customers, increased competition and changing nature of economic relations, etc. Today, repositioning of existing service offering becomes a strategy which helps companies to sustain strong market position and resist competition. Following Lovelock and Wirtz (2003) repositioning can be described as changing service characteristics aimed to meet new market conditions. The main sets of conditions for service repositioning include (1) a market decline, (2) competition and (3) changing customers’ needs. Therefore, reposition ­ing is about the new vision of the company in the customers’ minds. It is about earning customers’ trust to make them willingly follow the company. Market decline is the main reason which forces companies to reposition their service offering to remain profitable. For instance, if rates of return are below â€Å"competitive† rate it can result in withdrawal from the industry and a decline in activity and competition. In this situation, companies need to reposition their service offering in order to find new markets and new target groups. Repositioning is the best strategy used by companies to enter new markets essential for the opportunities and new competitive positioning. For instance, in order to survive â€Å"Fast Company† created a strategy aimed to reposition the magazine â€Å"in the minds of advertisers—a task that depends on first repositioning in the minds of readers—and then executing† (Lindsay, 2005). Airline carriers use repositioning strategy to avoid market failure and decline. (Essential repositioning of the Airline. Luxair, n.d.; Europe’s Winners and Losers, 2001). Also, this industry repositions itself in order to maintain high growth through optimization of a product mix and technological innovation. Very often, companies reposition their service offering using a quality/price strategy. Some airline carriers have positioned their brands selling for twice the price of services emphasizing their national origins, demon ­strating how quality and price can be reinforced (Essential repositioning of the Airline. Luxair, n.d.). It is possible to say that airline carriers seek to change the experience of buying and using a service (the service benefit) to prove a price position (Lovelock and Wirtz, 2003). Increased competition and new market entrants can force companies to reposition their service offerings. On the one hand, new entrants to an industry bring new capacity, a desire to gain market share and position and new approaches to serving customer needs. It is important to note that new competitors can have a negative impact on prices. Their strategy can result in reduced industry profitability (Lovelock and Wirtz, 2003). In this case, repositioning their service offering, companies try to find new service benefits to attract potential consumers. For instance, tourism market in Jamaica needs a reposition in order to compete on the market and remain competitive. Golding, a leader of Jamaica Labour Party, says that the industry is â€Å"running a risk right now because there is significant increase in the number of rooms, particularly with the Spanish investments† (Reposition tourism marketing, 2006). Also, Golding admits that â€Å"There is a need for a whole new approach to attraction development because there are so little offerings for the tourists, particularly at nights† (Reposition tourism marketing, 2006). On the other hand, multinational companies like Vodafone mobile operator can face a threat of service adaptation and can become a victim of global competitors (Calling for a rethink, 2006). In some cases, the companies need repositioning strategy to relocate the brand in consumers’ minds creating a competitive advantage.   This repositioning strategy ensures the customers credibly (Lovelock and Wirtz, 2003). Repositioning helps companies to establish trustworthiness, confidence, and competence for customers. It is possible to say that reposi ­tioning becomes the best strategy to keep the company’s identity and per ­sonality in the customers’ minds. The company can force customers to buy their products creating new image of the brand. In the era of globalization, repositioning strategy can help to differentiate the brand image from competitors proposing distinct features of the service offering. So, reposi ­tioning is not just about persuading and creating new image in the consumers’ minds, it is about earning consumers’ trust (Calling for a rethink, 2006). Another set of conditions under which it is appropriate to reposition an existing service offerings deals with future needs and wants of the customers and their changing expectations. Customers needs and wants have changed over time. These causes require companies to find new strategies and directions to deliver customer satisfaction. For instance, the main problems faced by WHO is that â€Å"Like many middle-aged organizations, a lot of the WHO’s problems stem from the fact that it has not changed with the times† (Repositioning the WHO, 1998). In this case, repositioning is needed to provide satisfaction of members’ social needs, and a sense of personal identity. Also, WHO organizations â€Å"regard government action as automatically good, profit as automatically evil, and intellectual property as theft† (Repositioning the WHO, 1998). Advances in technology and innovations require new positioning strategies to attract potential customers around the world. In this situation, repositioning becomes a response to the need of customers and increased market competition. It is possible to conclude that managing repositioning effectively is a complex and challenging task. Although firms need to meet expectations of their customers and resist competitors in order to remain profitable. For many organizations, repositioning is measured as profits in one form or another, while for others they may be the achievement of social needs. Today, repositioning strategy is one of the most important elements of marketing which helps companies to respond effectively to changing demands and new economic environment. References Calling for a rethink. 2006. The Economist. http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5444969 (accessed 19 August 2006) Essential repositioning of the Airline. Luxair. n.d.   http://www.luxair.lu/luxair/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=642&a=6662&l=en (accessed 19 August 2006). Europe’s Winners and Losers. The Continent’s slump will change the landscape. 2001. Business Week. October 15.   http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/01_42/b3753136.htm (accessed 19 August 2006) Lindsay, J. 2005. Super Service: How to Revive The Business Publication You Just Bought for ~$35 Million. June 26.   http://www.mediabistro.com/articles/cache/a4669.asp (accessed 19 August 2006) Lovelock, Ch., Wirtz, J. 2003. Services Marketing, People, Technology, Strategy. Prentice Hall; 5 ed. Reposition tourism marketing, says Golding. 2006. August 15. http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20060812T210000-0500_111077_OBS_REPOSITION_TOURISM_MARKETING__SAYS_GOLDING_.asp (accessed 19 August 2006) Repositioning the WHO. 1998. The Economist. http://www.economist.com/research/backgrounders/displaystory.cfm?story_id=127783 (accessed 19 August 2006)   

Theory of Cognitive Development and Children

Discuss the concept of ‘constructivism’ (from Piaget’s theory of cognitive development). Use a mix of theory and research to back up your ideas about whether or not the child constructs his/her own development. The understanding of how children comprehend the world around them has been a highly researched part of cognitive development in Psychology. Jean Piaget was one of the first researchers to develop a theory suggesting that children understand the world around them by actively seeking information from their environment, and continuously expanding their knowledge by organizing, adapting and assimilating this information Berlin, (1992).Piaget’s theory known as constructivism theory, has undergone a high level of scrutiny, centring on the understanding of children’s cognitive abilities, and neglecting the intelligence of assistance. Through analysing current research this paper aims to explore Piaget’s constructivism theory. Children’ s development has been a topic of interest since the 1920’s, following the creation of an intelligence test developed by Piaget and his colleagues where Piaget discovered that younger children made systematic mistakes from those of older age, consequently proposing that children change qualitatively with age, Bremner et al. (2012). Studying his own children Piaget formed the constructivism theory arguing that children built their knowledge through organization (children organize their information in schemas, assimilation (using pre-existing information) and adaptation and accommodation (adapting to the condition of the environment), by searching for information from their environment to expand their understanding of the world, Beilin, H. (1992). Piaget proposed children take an active role in their cognitive development, and independently construct the world around them.He proposed that children face different problems as they move through the stages, and it is the solving of these problems that teach them and assist them in learning and developing their thinking. The knowledge they receive from solving these actions are not imitated or innate, instead are ‘actively constructed’ by the child. In this sense, Piaget suggests that thought is obtained from action, when actions are internalised, ones thinking increases. The child is influenced by their previous ideas and new experiences, and based on this they construct new ideas.Piaget suggested that cognitive structuring, actions representing specific ‘acts’ of intelligence, is developed and linked to stages of child development. Piaget proposed children undergo four developmental stages where cognitive structuring occurs. These stages are sensorimotor stage (from birth to two years of age), preoperational stage (from three to seven years of age), concrete operations stage (from eight to eleven years of age), and formal operational stage (from twelve years of age until adulthood) Piaget, J. & Inhelder, B. (1969).In the first stage, sensorimotor which Piaget divided into six sub-stages, intelligence is demonstrated through basic motor skills such as sucking to experimenting with external objects by using schemas in order to reach their goal. ). Piaget suggested that until the age of seven months (during their third sub-stage of sensory motor stage), infants do not understand that the world consists of permanent objects. He argues that if at this stage you hide an object in front of the infant they show disappointment or simply stop looking for the object as if the object disappeared.Not until infant reaches eight months (the fourth sub-stage of sensory motor stage), does the child start to look for hidden objects, which shows that at this stage infants start to understand object permanence, Piaget, J. & Inhelder, B. (1969). One of Piaget’s studies that received a great deal of attention is the A-not-B error study, which he explains that if an object is hidden in front of an infant (location A); at around eight months of age they would reach toward the hidden object.However if the object is moved to a different location (location B) infants until twelve months of age would still reach for the first location. The failure to reach the correct location Piaget explains as egocentrism clamming that at this stage children fail to see the situation in a different point of view thinking that because the object was placed in the first location that that object would permanently be there, Piaget, J. & Inhelder, B. (1969). Testing Piaget’s A-not-B theory Kaufman and Needham (1999) tested 40 six and a half month infants.Using habituation technique they concluded that infants looked longer when the objects were moved. Contrary to Piaget’s findings, they suggested that infant special orientation development happens at much earlier age, arguing that Piaget underestimated infant ability. The second and third stage Piaget proposed ar e the preoperational and concrete stage at this stage children understand object permanence (that objects continue to exist even though they cannot ee them) , spatial layouts and also the use of language for problem solving starts during the preoperational stage through constructing existing information and eventually expanding this information. However until the age of seven children still see the world from their egocentric view (i. e. refusing to see the world from a different point of view). At the concrete stage children are able to solve visual problems such as lining in order dolls from the tallest to the shortest, however they are not able to solve mental problems, Piaget, J. & Inhelder, B. 1969). The fourth and last stage that Piaget proposed is the formal stage. At this stage Piaget argues that children can think abstractly, consider possibilities and formulate hypothesis. Piaget’s formal operational stage has been criticised by researchers such as Kuhn et al. ,(198 2) who discovered that although constructing knowledge seems to be sufficient for the sensory-motor and preoperational stage, it does not seem to be the same case with the concrete and formal operational stage since not all adults show formal operational thought.There have been numerous studies conducted which provide support for constructivism theory. Guthrie et al (2004) compared different instructional methods for student’s reading skills, these methods included a strategies instruction approach, and an approach combining strategies instruction and constructivist motivation techniques, such as incorporating student choices, collaboration, and hands-on activities.The constructivist approach, called CORI (Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction) produced a high student reading comprehension, motivation, and cognitive strategies (Guthrie et al, 2004). Similarly Jong Suk Kim (Kim, 2005) found that when students were taught using constructivist-teaching methods, they achieved high er levels in academia compared to using traditional teaching methods. Students also voiced preferring constructivist methods over traditional ones.However, one of the biggest criticisms of Piaget’s theory has been the ignorance of social and cultural influences on child development. Contrary to Piaget, who believed that allowing children to experiment and express their own ideas enabled their constructive processes to develop knowledge, Vygotsky’s (1962) sociocultural theory proposed that learning and development are derived collaboratively from socialisation and education. He argued that simple knowledge such as perception and attention are mental abilities are innate, and although children actively developed their thought rocesses through the environment, they could also, with assistance from others, reach a higher level/stage of cognitive development than the stage they are at when they perform alone. Vygotsky named this ‘the zone of proximal developmentâ€⠄¢, â€Å"†¦the distance between the actual development of a child as determined by the independent problem solving, and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more peers Vygotsky (1978)† Vygotsky’s (1978, p. 56).Therefore, although his theory is similar to Piaget in that he believes cognitive development is restricted to a limited range at a certain age, he believes that with the aid of social interaction, for instance the help of a mentor, an individual/child can understand concepts and schemas that they would be unable to comprehend alone. In this sense it questions the extent to which children construct their own environment and developments as children’s knowledge may develop at a much faster rate through interaction and guidance of more experienced peers , such as older siblings, parent or teachers, Gauvain and Cole (1997).Evidence supporting Vygotksy can be seen in a stud y by Gauvain et al. , (1997). He found that if you test a group of nine year old pupils with a number of problem solving skills (at Piaget’s concrete operational stage) and test a group of twelve year old pupils (at Piaget’s formal operational stage), and not assist them, they would show the same level of intelligence, concluding that knowledge is not simply constructed through experience but also through techniques taught by others.Similarly, Mayer (2004) proposed that â€Å"a recent replication is research showing that students learn to become better at solving mathematics problems when they study worked-out examples rather than when they solely engage in hands-on problem, Mayer (2004, p. 18) Conclusion Piaget’s four-stage knowledge development theory is highly researched criteria within developmental Psychology. The use of constructing previously learnt information into new information through experience seems to be more effective at an early age. His theory seems to underestimate the children’s ability and knowledge; however it overestimates adolescence ability.It also is unarguable that constructivism theory fails to acknowledge the social effects that have been shown to play a crucial part in knowledge development. However it is not to say that Piaget’s constructivism theory should be discarded altogether, since Piaget was the pioneer in introducing clinical methods to explore children’s thoughts. This remains the fundamental theory used in child development research. Moreover, as mentioned above, Piaget’s constructivism theory is highly used in schools, guiding teachers in how to enable children to explore their own environment through expression and experimentation.In conclusion, knowledge development could be acquired through both construction of ones own experiences, and the help of more experienced peers. References 1. Beilin, H. (1992). Piaget’s enduring contribution to developmental psycholo gy. Developmental Psychology, 28, 191-204. 2. Bremner A. et al. , (1986). Developmental Psychology. Developmental Psychology. 3. Bodner, Gg. M. (1986). Constructivism a theory of knowledge. Journal of Chemical Education, 63, 873-878. 4. Gauvain M. and Cole. M. (1997). Readings on the development of children. W. H.Freeman and Company. New York. 5. Guthrie et al. , (2004) Increasing reading comprehension and engagement through concept oriented reading instructions. Journal of educational psychology, 96 (3), 403-423. 6. Kaufman, J. and Needham, A. (1999) Objective spatial coding in 6. 5-month-old infants in a visual dishabituation task. Developmental science, 2(4), 432-441. 7. Kuhn et al. , (1982), Systematic and metasystematic reasoning:A case for levels of reasoning beyond Piaget’s stage of formal operations. Developmental psychology, 53, 1058-1069. 8. Kim J. S. (2005).The effect of constructivist teaching approach on student’s academic achievements, self- concept and l earning strategies. Asia pacific and education review, 6 (1) 7-19. 9. Mayer (2004). Should there be a three-strikes rule against pure discovery learning? American Psychologist, 59 (1) 14-19. 10. Piaget, J. & Inhelder, B. (1969). The Psychology of the Child. NY: Basic Books. 11. Vygotsky L. S. (1962). Thought and Language. Massachusetts: The M. I. T. Press. 12. Vygotsky L. S. (1978). Interaction between learning and development. Mind and society, Cambridge: Harvard university press.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

After his mother dies giving birth to him on the day of victory in World War I in 1918, Benjamin is taken by his father, Thomas Button (Jason Flemyng), and deposited on the doorstep of a home for the elderly. That is fitting since the infant looks like an 80-year-old man with sagging skin, cataracts, and wrinkles all over is body. Queenie (Taraji P. Henson), an African-American attendant at the place, finds him. She immediately decides that baby who is â€Å"as ugly as an old pot† is a child of God who must be cared for, no matter how difficult that may be. And so Benjamin (Brad Pitt) the man-child grows up in the presence of elders who share their stories with him and accept him as one of their own; they are all outsiders in a country where youth is worshipped and the elderly are viewed as obsolete. Benjamin starts out in a wheelchair and proves himself to be a great listener: everyone wants to tell him what they've been through in life. A man with a poor memory points out again and again that he was struck by lightening seven different times. â€Å"God keeps reminding me I'm lucky to be alive. A wealthy woman who keeps to herself teaches him to play the piano. A gregarious visitor, an African bushman (Rampai Mohadi), takes a fancy to the man-boy and introduces him the joys of sex in a bordello. At the age of 12, Benjamin looks about 70. He meets Daisy (Elle Fanning), the granddaughter of one of the residents at the home. They become instant friends and forge a bond which will last for a long time. In fact, Benjamin's story is shown i n flashbacks as Daisy lies near death's door in New Orleans at the time of Katrina. As the winds howl outside, her 40-year-old daughter Caroline (Julia Ormond) reads to her from a diary filled with pictures and postcards about this strange man who played such a major role in her life. At age 17, Benjamin is much younger and stronger. He leaves New Orleans for life aboard a tugboat that is piloted by Mike (Jared Harris), a colorful character with tattoos and a love of liquor. He travels to many cities and in Murmansk encounters Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton), who is intrigued by his mysteriousness. Although married, she begins a brief affair with Benjamin and introduces him to the pleasures of caviar, night-time dialogue, and sex. Benjamin also tastes the rush of adrenalin in war when he and the tugboat crew take on a Nazi U-boat that has just sunk a troop transport in World War II. Many of his shipmates are killed in the clash. Benjamin returns to New Orleans in 1945 and encounters his father, a rich entrepreneur who runs a button business. He is a lonely old man who is dying and wants to reconnect with the boy he ditched years ago. Instead of showing anger or seeking revenge, Benjamin treats him with kindly compassion for he has come to realize that death is a tender moment that must be treated with respect and dignity. Daisy (Cate Blanchett) is now a renowned dancer in New York who stops by for a visit. She has read his postcards from around the world and still feels they are soulmates. She tries to seduce him, but he is not ready for the changes that he sees in her. But after he inherits his father's estate, he travels to New York to be with her. But now she is too caught up in the drama and excitement of her career and artist friends. There is more to their relationship as new twists and turns bring them together again as Benjamin grows younger and more handsome. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is one of the best films of the year with its complex story, idiosyncratic characters, and treatment of the themes of love, time, aging, youth, change, death, and the impermanence of life. David Fincher directs this soulful movie with a marvelous attention to detail and pacing. The secret to the film's powerful impact is the terrific screenplay by Eric Roth who wrote Forrest Gump, a 1994 movie that was also a picaresque tale about a strange outsider and his wild adventures. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald that has been substantially changed for the screen. Another plus is the melodic and impressive music by Alexandre Desplat. What does Benjamin learn from his odd condition that makes him grow younger instead of older? What are the lessons of his adventures that take him around the world and back home again? At one point, he says: â€Å"You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. You can make the best or the worst of it. † Benjamin always keeps an open mind and uses each encounter as an opportunity to soften his heart. He makes the best of bad situations and does not allow them to bring him down. He demonstrates an equanimity that enables him to handle failure and success, defeat and victory, with calm. One of his favorite mantras is â€Å"You never know what's coming for you. † It is best to see everything as a mystery that does not need to be solved or explained away. Just live in the present moment and savor what presents itself to you. A sense of wonder is a trademark of Benjamin's personality. As a man-child in the home for the elderly, he listens to the house breathing. As a child-man he savors the start of the day looking out over the water just like his father did. Benjamin learns how to let go and not to cling to anyone: â€Å"We're meant to lose the people we love. How else will we know how much they meant to us? † From start to finish, this character tries to be himself, accepting his flaws and celebrating his strengths as a human being: â€Å"It's never too late or too early to be whoever you want to be. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button reminds us that the best thing we can do is make the most of our journey and be thankful for the people we meet along the way. It's all gift. Benjamin embodies the zest for life described in one of our favorite quotations by Diane Ackerman: â€Å"The great affair, the love affair with life, is to live as variously as possible, to groom one's curiosity like a high-spirited thoroughbred, climb aboard, and gallop over the thick, sunstruck hills every day. . . It began as mystery, and it will end in mystery, but what a savage and beautiful country lies in between. â€Å"